cik1戚
Jyutpingcik1
Yalechīk
Definition
Relative; family member.
neutralfamilypeople
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively encountered as a bound morpheme within the word 親戚. While it carries the meaning of kinship, it does not function as a standalone noun in modern spoken Cantonese to refer to a relative. You will rarely see it used outside of this specific compound.
Examples
Will you go visit your relatives during the Lunar New Year?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly try to use 戚 as a standalone word for relative, but it is not productive in that way. Always use the full compound 親戚 to be understood correctly.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
